http://www.promedmail.org/mbds
Published Date: 2012-07-17 00:57:14
Subject: PRO/MBDS> Diarrhea - Myanmar (04): Shan, RFI
Archive Number: 20120717.1639
DIARRHEA - MYANMAR (04): SHAN, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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Date: Sat 7 Jul 2012Source: Myanmar News Now [in Myanmar, trans. Mod.YMA, edited]http://www.thithtoolwin.net/2012/07/myanmar-news-now-7-7-12-news-1.html
In Lashio Township of northern Shan State, villagers got diarrhea and
about 30 people died, according to health care staff from the villages.
"The Mine-Yaw District is situated about 32 miles north of Lashio Town.
The villagers say 27 people died up until Tuesday [3 Jul 2012]. Most of
them are males," said a health staff member from a non-governmental
organization (NGO) in Lashio Town.
Most of the dead are from Man-mat, Pan-hto-lin, Ho-huay and Pan-sa-pyay
village tracts of Mine-Yaw District and died since mid-June 2012. There
was one death every week during the end of June 2012. As the numbers of
deaths mount, the local authorities have prohibited gatherings such as
markets and charity events.
"I don't know why. They have abdominal pain and diarrhea. After they
have been admitted to hospital for about 3 days, if they have not
recovered, they are being discharged from hospital. Then, they die at
home. There is not enough medicine in the hospital. We rely only on
China-made medicines," says a vendor from Mine-Yaw market.
The local said that diarrhea patients from some faraway villages came
and received treatment at Mine-Yaw Township Hospital and spread the
disease to the local people. The weekly market has already been closed
by the authorities for 2 weeks. The authorities warn people not to eat
mushrooms and ripe jack fruits.
An unconfirmed source said that the illness is caused by poisoning of
water by local rival armed forces.
"Since the health center asked the heads of villages to warn people to
drink only boiled water and not to eat cold and left-over foods, fewer
people are dying. Initially, 3-4 people died every day," said Nan Sai, a
local person.
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Communicated by:
PRO/MBDS
[The above newswire fails to provide the specific clinical
manifestations which would be useful to diagnose the possible
etiological agent responsible for these food poisoning outbreaks.
However, the diarrhea outbreaks are spreading in many villages of
Mine-Yaw District. As the local authorities warn people to avoid eating
mushrooms, some outbreaks might be associated with consuming poisonous
mushrooms.
More information on the etiology of this outbreak would be greatly
appreciated by PRO/MBDS.
For a map of Myanmar with administrative divisions, see
http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/myanmar.pdf. For the
interactive HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Myanmar, see
http://healthmap.org/r/1Kxp. - Mod.YMA]